Bloodhound’s Regression Instinct

Chapter 105

As words unimagined spilled from Yan’s lips, the Chief Instructor’s eyes widened in shock. Only Jacques, whom Yan had defeated, and his followers knew of his affiliation with the revolutionary army.

Could it be that Yan knew as well?

The Chief Instructor’s hands twitched, emitting a murderous aura. The office filled with a ferocious intent, and shadows stretched from his feet as if ready to claim Yan’s life at any moment.

“Did you hear it from Jacques last time?”

“I learned of it recently myself. That I am the son of the man, the Commander of the Revolutionary Army.”

At those words.

The Chief Instructor stiffened as if turned to stone.

“What, what?”

“Teo and Owen send their regards.”

As Yan mentioned the names of the unseen revolutionary leaders, the Chief Instructor spat out a sigh.

He eyed Yan with a sunken gaze, pondering whether this was a lie, a trap set by the special task force leader to bring him down.

Then Yan handed over a pendant that hung around his neck.

“Owen assured me upon seeing this that I am indeed his son.”

“…This is.”

The Chief Instructor’s eyes bulged as he received the pendant.

He had seen that pendant before.

“It’s a gift for my son, quite nice, isn’t it?”

It was a gift the Commander he served had made himself to celebrate his son’s birthday.

And the faint remnants of the Commander’s energy within the pendant proved its authenticity.

Staring blankly at the pendant, the Chief Instructor lifted his head.

“So… you truly are his son?”

Tears rimmed the Chief Instructor’s eyes, an expression Yan had never seen in either his past or present life.

The Chief Instructor seemed to choke on something rising within, taking in thin breaths.

Then, he quietly issued an order to dismiss.

“Understood. Let’s talk again tomorrow.”

With that, Yan bowed his head and exited the office.

Yan recalled the expression the Chief Instructor had worn just moments before.

A face on the verge of tears.

An expression the Chief Instructor he knew from his past life would never have shown.

“What kind of man was my father to make such a person reveal such an expression?”

The Chief Instructor was among the three most ruthless people in the empire.

So much so that even Yan had hidden his abilities for a time after his regression, wary of the Chief Instructor’s character.

With a swift turn.

Yan looked back towards the Chief Instructor’s office.

His face was filled with an emotion that defied understanding.

* * *

At that hour, in the Chief Instructor’s office.

Perched by the window, the Chief Instructor sat silently gazing at the night sky.

“Sigh.”

An uncharacteristic sigh escaped his lips.

“Who would have thought, in such a place, I’d encounter the bloodline of the Commander.”

He fondled the emblem of genesis etched upon his chest.

Though the Commander had opposed it, his followers had inscribed the emblem of their own volition.

It symbolized the creation of a new family among those who were hurt and abandoned.

“It’s already been ten years since this was marked.”

A wry smile crossed the Chief Instructor’s face.

Time, indeed, had flown swiftly.

* * *

Twenty Years Ago

Back then, the Chief Instructor was not treated as a bastard but as a prince, respected and honored.

While other kingdoms were rife with royal kin slaying each other over the throne, there was none of that between Leon and the Chief Instructor, whose brotherly love ran deep.

In the empire, he had a father who was the Emperor, a warm and affectionate mother, and a half-brother who respected and cared for him.

Life was as good as it could be.

In such an environment.

The Chief Instructor spent each day with dedication, hoping to be of help to his half-brother, the Crown Prince, in the future.

He honed his swordsmanship and grew in wisdom through debates with various scholars.

Little did he know that this harmonious family would shatter in an instant.

The moment of happiness broke suddenly and swiftly.

It happened during a routine sword practice session.

– The Empress has committed treason.

An unbelievable tale overturned the palace.

Every imperial agency, including the Royal Knights, began to dig into the past of the Chief Instructor’s mother, the Empress.

And evidence of her involvement in the treason emerged one after another.

The Chief Instructor watched, dumbstruck, as his mother was taken away.

He clung to the knights, crying and pleading, but their eyes were different from the smiles they used to offer him.

A cold gaze that threatened to dispose of him if he caused any trouble.

“Go to your palace now. Lock yourself in and do not come out until I call for you. This is not a request, but an order.”

His half-brother, who had always respected him, ignored the Chief Instructor’s pleas and confined him to his palace.

Shivering with fear, he was isolated for a week.

Then his mother came to visit.

She looked different from her usual dignified self, now in a pitiful state.

Wrapped in a tattered robe, her face smeared with something like soot.

She hugged the Chief Instructor tightly and spoke urgently.

“Damian, someone will come for you soon. You must follow him and leave this palace.”

“Mother, where will I live…?”

“No! This is not where you belong! This place is dangerous.”

“Mother?”

“Don’t trust anyone. Run far away from here, so far that no one can harm you! Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes… I understand. But please, listen to me…”

“You’re brave, my son. Even without me, don’t cry, always smile. I’ll be watching over you from behind.”

“Mother?”

“I love you, my son. And… I’m sorry.”

“Mother! Don’t leave me!”

With those words, she disappeared.

The next day, her execution took place.

Driven by his half-brother’s words that it was the last chance to see her, he forced his reluctant steps forward.

She looked more emaciated than ever, but her eyes were still alive.

Facing the Emperor, she spoke.

“How long do you think this ridiculous charade will continue? You will meet your downfall, and I will be watching it from the heavens.”

Her voice was calm, unbelievably so for someone facing death.

But the meaning behind it was chillingly cold.

As she ascended the scaffold.

The Chief Instructor could see his mother looking at him.

Her pupils swirled with a myriad of emotions.

He realized that most of what his mother felt was not fear of death, but concern and worry for him.

She was denied a funeral under the pretext of participating in the rebellion.

The young Chief Instructor spent days and nights crying.

The palace, once bustling with nobles, was now eerily silent.

Outside, he was pointed at as the traitor’s child.

Moreover, his status as a prince was stripped in an instant, reduced to a commoner, a bastard.

Amidst such humiliation, the Chief Instructor wore away day by day.

And then, he met someone who claimed to have been sent by his mother.

Someone who felt similar to her.

A person of many words and rich emotions.

And above all.

Unimaginably strong.

Following his mother’s last wishes, the Chief Instructor went with him and learned much.

He experienced activities he had never felt growing up in the palace and lived the life of the common folk.

Thus, many gathered around him, not just the Chief Instructor.

From those dreaming of revenge to persecuted races, and those charmed by his human appeal.

Their numbers grew, and living among them, the Chief Instructor came of age.

Only then did he learn the truth about his mother’s death.

It harbored a shocking revelation.

It was clear his mother was not the one at fault.

That’s when he extended his hand.

“Would you like to join me in overturning this empire?”

The Chief Instructor thought.

He would avenge his mother’s death against the Emperor.

To do so, he would take this man’s hand.

That was the birth of the revolutionary army.

And the talkative man became the Commander.

* * *

Yan’s Return to the Chief Instructor’s Office

The next day, Yan heeded the call and made his way to the Chief Instructor’s office.

Creak.

Stepping inside, Yan immediately scrutinized the Chief Instructor’s expression. The agitation from the previous day was nowhere to be seen, as if he had forgotten his own words.

Noticing Yan’s puzzled look, the Chief Instructor spoke in an even tone, “Even if you are the Commander’s son, nothing changes. It only slightly reduces your chances of dying by my hand.”

He shook his head slightly before continuing, “But let’s put that aside for now. First, we need to deal with that girl.”

Yan was taken aback by the Chief Instructor’s indifferent tone, a stark contrast to his usually cheerful demeanor. It felt as though the man had changed.

“There’s no need to wear a ‘mask’ in front of me, is there?”

“Ah… Yes.”

Yan nodded, but he couldn’t help but be astounded by the realization that all the personas the Chief Instructor had shown were fabricated. He had suspected some exaggeration, but not to this extent of normalcy.

The Chief Instructor, seemingly displeased with Yan’s furrowed brow, got straight to the point, “If what you said is true, then our priority must be to extract Lia from the special task force commander.”

“That’s correct.”

“Do you have a plan for that?”

A glint appeared in Yan’s eyes, not expecting to utilize this so soon, “There’s someone within the task force’s officers I’ve persuaded.”

“An officer? Who?”

“That’s confidential.”

The Chief Instructor’s face twisted at Yan’s anticlimactic revelation, but he soon shook his head dismissively, “Are they trustworthy?”

As Yan nodded, the Chief Instructor sighed deeply and continued, “Alright, I understand. But at least I need to know their position to plan accordingly, don’t I?”

“They’re at the director level.”

“Director level?”

The Chief Instructor’s eyes widened in surprise. Yan simply nodded, prompting a hollow laugh from the Chief Instructor. A director-level officer was a core member of the task force.

“I wonder how you managed to sway someone at the director level.”

“That’s also no comment.”

The Chief Instructor grumbled, “Okay, then we’ll use this person to find out Lia’s location. What’s the next step?”

“Do you have connections that could convene a hearing?”

The Chief Instructor frowned, realizing Yan’s aim, “You’re thinking of publicizing it?”

“Yes. That way, you can ascend to the position of the task force commander.”

The Chief Instructor pressed his temples, clearly not fond of the idea, “There is one ideal person for that.”

Yan already knew who the Chief Instructor was hinting at, “His Highness, the Crown Prince.”

“You’re aware.”

“I know you two aren’t on good terms, but you’re not enemies, are you?”

“That’s true.”

The Chief Instructor didn’t dislike Crown Prince Leon. Of course, he had resented Leon for ignoring his pleas and confining him when they were younger, but with age, he came to understand. The Crown Prince had hidden him from the Emperor’s gaze to save his life.

Leon seemed to carry guilt over those memories, but the Chief Instructor had no particular feelings other than disliking Leon’s righteous nature.

“It’s presumptuous, but… if you ask, His Highness the Crown Prince won’t refuse.”

“I see. I’ll handle that myself. What’s next?”

“Next… we must blind the task force commander and retrieve Lia. And we need to scale up the operation so that even if he realizes late, it will be difficult for him to intervene.”

“I know about blinding him, but scaling up means…”

“We need to involve someone the task force commander would be wary of.”

Their plans aligned perfectly.

“You’ve already scouted someone?”

The Chief Instructor smiled, not with his usual cynicism.

Facing the Chief Instructor, Yan’s lips curled into a smile.

“It’s the person you’re thinking of.”

The only head of an agency capable of rivaling the task force, and someone with a personal grudge against the task force commander.

“We’ll bring in the Inspector General.”